Rouhani says Obama has struck new tone on Iran

Описание: (27 Sep 2013) Iran's new president Hassan Rouhani said Friday that President Barack Obama struck a new tone in his U.N. speech this week that left him optimistic about easing tensions between the two countries.
"It felt that in speaking with senior European officials and also hearing Mr. Obama, the President of the United States it seemed that they sounded different compared to the past," Rouhani said at a press conference in New York.
The Iranian leader also said the recent elections that propelled him to the Iranian presidency created a "new environment" which could pave the way for better relations with the West.
Rouhani said that Iran would put forth a proposal at talks next month in Geneva on resolving the standoff over his country's nuclear programme and easing international sanctions, and that he was encouraged by what he has heard recently from western officials.
He said he did not meet with Obama on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly this week because "both sides were convinced that the timetable was too short to plan a meeting of two presidents."
Rouhani said he believes the first step to a meeting between the two leaders was taken Thursday at a meeting on Iran's nuclear programme, where the foreign ministers of both nations talked for the first time in six years.
Experts believe that Rouhani may have limited time, possibly a year or less, to reach a settlement on the nuclear issue before Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei decides negotiations are fruitless.
Rouhani said the Iranian nuclear programme is not designed to produce weapons.
"We say explicitly that we do not seek a bomb. We say explicitly that we believe that the building of the bomb is dangerous for us, for our region. We say explicitly that in our defence doctrine there is no room for weapons of mass destruction."
The Iranian leader also expressed a desire to have the Middle East free of all weapons of mass destruction.
"In our region so far there is one single regime that has nuclear weapons therefore I think it is incumbent on all to ensure that the entire region will be free of nuclear weapons and any weapons of mass destruction."
Iran and US agreed to fast-track negotiations and hold a substantive round of talks on October 15-16 in Geneva.
Iran, hoping to get relief from punishing international sanctions as fast as possible, said it hoped a resolution could be reached within a year.

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